Initial Installation and Setup

[David Carlson]

On 3/5/2015 9:42 PM, William Ingersolll wrote:
> I downloaded and installed GNUCASH. While attempting to import a
> Quicken .qif file the program did not respond as I expected. I felt I
> had committed an error. It appeared to me that the simplest thing to
> do would be to uninstall the program, reinstall it and start over. In
> my experience, when a well-written program uninstalls it takes all
> vestiges of itself with it unless there are some files which may be
> desired upon reinstall. In that case it will ask if these files should
> be left. This program did not do that, but left a GNUCASH folder on
> the "C" Drive in the program files that prevented re-installation.
> After I took care of that and re-installed the program  it obviously
> maintain the memory of a file that I had previously named in the prior
> aborted installation, and subsequently erased. Each time I started the
> second installation it kept claiming it could not find that file.
>
> During my second attempt to install the Quicken files it asked to
> correct or accept groups of data. As I didn't wish to spend a lot of
> time dealing with many things that are probably obsolete and that I
> will delete,I pressed . Forward for each list expecting they will be
> saved. Then there appeared a list of financial securities that the
> program suggested may not be correctly listed with the proper
> abbreviation. There are well over 100 items dating from my early
> transactions in the 60s. There are many that no longer exist or for
> which I have no need. Not wishing to go through these one by one at
> this time, I pressed cancel and everything disappeared. The time I had
> already spent was wasted. I do not want to start over again only to
> have this program crash again. If there is some simple, reasonable way
> to do what I'm trying to accomplish I would appreciate any
> information. It should not be this difficult.
>
> I am using Windows 7.
> _______________________________________________
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -----
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


If you read the manual and the FAQs you should have noticed that GnuCash
is not exactly a plug-and-play substitute for Quicken.  While most of us
think that GnuCash is a superior product, migration from Quicken is not
a ten minute project.

I cannot tell from your note whether you are clear about the difference
between installation and program issues versus creation of your data
file.  If you are trying to import large chunks of data including a
chart of accounts, you should plan on running several tests to determine
the best method for your particular data, as there will probably be
major adjustments to fix differences between the way Quicken keeps data
and the way GnuCash keeps data.  Many users consider that migration to
be a project that may take as long as several weeks or even months to
complete to their satisfaction. 

After that caveat, I would recommend first running a test data file in
parallel with your Quicken file to help in planning how to make the
transition.  The current release if GnuCash (2.6.5) usually installs
without incident and should not need to be uninstalled and re-installed
in Windows 7.

Be sure to put your test data files and final data files somewhere in
your user space, such as in a unique folder under My Documents.

David C